How Can This Be The Last Day? - October 8, 2010

It's 7 p.m, Royce has filled the car with gas for a quick getaway tomorrow, and I'm hauling my stuff downstairs to determine where the heck everything is going to fit! I'm telling you, my minivan was a godsend for trips like this.

Woke this morning to dark skies and rain. It quickly cleared, but for the first time during our stay, it finally feels like fall.

Our first stop of the day was to walk up Kit Carson Road to the Studio de Colores Gallery, which belongs to artists Ann Huston and Ed Sandoval. www.decoloresgallery.com I bought a signed print from Ann in 2005. It hangs in my living room on Galena Court. She was there and just as friendly as I remembered her. Her husband Ed wasn't there. Ann does beautiful, moody pastels; Ed's work is vibrant and alive. Both wonderful.

Our next stop was Good Thunder Batik owned by the off-the-wall Gary Fey. For $40/person, he'll teach you how to make you how to make your own batik masterpiece - or piece. www.garyfey.com His website doesn't do justice to the vibrant colors of his finished pieces. And, sadly, I don't see my personal favorite, Frida Kahlo, resplendent with unibrow and upper lip down (big, fat mustache). Gary is not what you'd call PC, and told some rip-roaring jokes during our session with him. He even convinced a couple from New Jersey to tell one of their own - and have to say the guy came up with a good one. We said goodbye to Gary and walked out of his door to....

...the Taos High School homecoming parade, which put the already terrible traffic into mini-LA gridlock. I have some video but my less than PC commentary (damn you, Gary!) renders it unfit for the blog.

Drove down the main drag for our last meal at El Taoseno - another local establishment. Ricky's has better food, but Royce and I agree that El Taoseno wins 2nd place. We chowed down on spicy enchiladas and tasty tamales - only now I'm starting to pay for several day's worth of rich food. I will run along side of the car much of the way home tomorrow, so I don't have to borrow Kim's maternity pants once I get home. Burp.

I'll let Royce add something to this - and unless something really noteworthy happens between now and the time we get home, this is the end of our Tantalizing Taos Tidbits. Adios from Barbara.

Royce's two bits: BSR hit all the essentials (as usual), so I'll just add a quip or two on the homecoming parade.

Judging by the traffic jam the parade created, you would've thought Obama had arrived on the campaign trail to woo this little town of 6,000 residents; the only thing missing were helicopters.

Taos is beautiful on so many levels, but their traffic makes a Denver rush hour seem fun. Throw in a high school parade and you get gridlock on a world-class level.

The homecoming king n' queen were perched above the back seat of a '61 Caddy convertible; made me a little nostalgic, since that's my era (not that I had a Cadillac convertible back in the day -- but I did have a back seat).

The batik art lesson was a kick. Aside from Gary, the gallery owner, practicing his stand-up comedy routine the entire time with 113 silly jokes that we had forgotten before the parade was over, I learned that a person with no artistic skill (that would be yours truly) can fake it with a good batik instructor. Can't wait to see how my watermelon still life looks after rinsing it and iron out the wax when we get home.

Barb (aka the Picasso of Galena Court) produced another masterpiece, of course. I need a woman with no talent to boost my ego.

Not ready for this vacation to end, but one more day would just make us want one more after that. Besides, "real life" is pretty darn sweet, too -- and the pay is a helluva lot better.

Til next time, Taos...

Countdown Thursday - October 7, 2010

Where, oh, where is the time going? Productive morning - finished The Elegance of the Hedgehog - good book, taught an abbreviated yoga class, and spent way too much time writing and laughing at our writing of the blog.

Since all this took until noon, we set out for a place we've been passing every day on the main drag, Ricky's. From the street, it looks like a place the locals hang out, and sure 'nuf, it is. The diner has about eight tables, a comfort food menu complete with the BEST Northern New Mexico food we've had to date. I'm serious. Everything is made as you're ordering it - even the hot-out-of-the-grease-bucket chips and sopapillas - served WITH the meal as is required if you're a real NM food aficionado. A squirt of honey, a load of beans and just hope you don't drip or get a lot around your mouf. We both had red enchiladas con frijoles y eran muy bueno.

We sensed a theme as we opened the menu. There was a Broncos horse head at the bottom of each page. Looking up, we saw Bronco paraphernalia interspersed - well spersed - around the place, since it's so small. Turns out that Ricky is an avid Bronco fan and makes it to at least two games a season - although not last season. In talking to him, he asked if we were looking for a house - he has one for sale out by Arroyo Seco and just two plots away from Julia Robert's home. He's selling so he can retire and spend more time doing the Lord's work. With a mouful of enchiladas, I told him he IS doing the Lord's work by making the meals a religious experience. He has bigger plans, however. Ricky thinks the end is near - just a couple years away.

A couple next to us struck up a conversation. They're both artists - Richard and Tupper Hawley from Carson, outside of Taos, closer to Ojo Caliente. www.crossgallery.com. Check out the website. Turns out she has famous artist parents. Just don't know who you'll end up talking to at the local diner!

Next to the Taos Welcome Center to pick up literature to use as background for our Taos article. Spoke with Brad (my baby Bradley), who just had his third interview for a job selling life insurance. He's excited about the earning possibilities. So am I.

Another stop at the Mexican furniture import store where I found a small table that fits into my kitchen and matches my kitchen table. We're going to look like the Clampets traveling with a packed car.

Next to the Plaza again - Royce ran up to a second-had store where he picked up a cute, small table for his "library," and I found new flatware at the Taos Cookery shop. I've had the same Dansk flatware since 1971, so I think it's time for a change. It's as "interesting" as my Dansk pattern.

Putzed around the Plaza looking for little gifts, ate an ice cream cone, came home and now on the deck with some wine and gin - not all in the same glass.

Santa Fe and the High Road - October 6, 2010

Today (yesterday, really, I'm writing this the day after - travel writing is so damn complicated) reveille was 0600. Had quick cups of coffee, a bite out of a protein bar, short yoga session and out the door with maps in hand for Santa Fe and then home on the famed, scenic High Road.

Another beautiful day in the neighborhood - they've all been. Sunny and crisp but turned down the car's heater before we were out of the Taos city limits (not soon enough for hot-blooded Royce). Drove the river road south to Santa Fe. No traffic to speak of. Arrived there in an hour and headed for Trader Joe's. Stocked up on an odd array of groceries, including red quinoa, their itty-bitty crispy chocolate chip cookies, body lotion and an organic treat for Cindy's dog (she's collecting my mail). Too bad, so sad they were out of white balsamic vinegar, so will not be able to surprise Kay with this treat. Royce and I both picked up some cheap wine.

Groceries in the boot (just finished a foreign novel - Hedgehog!), we zoomed off to Tia Sophias for a breakfast of red, cheese enchiladas on blue corn tortillas con huevo con frijoles (just finished reading a couple signs in Spanish). A lip-smacking breakfast. Royce had the huevos rancheros and proclaimed them lip smacking also. Lots 'o happy smacking lips. Tia's (aunt in Spanish) is a local dive on San Francisco Street that's been around for decades. A lot of the native American Indians dine there before sitting down to sell their wares in front of the Palace of the Governors.

After brunch, we hit a couple of my favorite shops and then headed back north for the high road to Taos. Our first stop was the Nambe gift shop, where I learned something. The silver Nambe ware that some of us know and love is not made by the tribe. Some capitalistic pigs purloined the name before any advertising/marketing hacks could suggest that the Nambe tribe trademark their name and brand themselves. Wait until you see the new line of Hopi Hotdogs I'm going to market when returning to Denver.

From there, it was another 15 minutes or so the Santuario Chimayo - an old church where the faithful are purported to walk and crawl every Easter for healings (scabbed knees, for starters). Since it's a small church, they have a very small priest (seriously, about 5' 2") whom we saw being helped down the path by an alter boy (not really, but it perpetuates the salacious news from the Catholic church). The gift shop was selling fifty cent plastic bottles for three dollars to fill with holy dirt and/or holy water = holy mud, if the recipe comes together correctly. You can read the real story about the church by Googling it, but you won't find shit like this in the Wikipedia account.

Walked down the road where a lady was selling paintings created by herself, husband and daughters - simple, but sweet. I ended up buying a pretty sage bundle to purify myself against the spirits who are bound to be after me after writing that last paragraph.

The road from Chimayo to Truchas has been bequeathed big Obama bucks, so there is much digging and rearranging of the two-lane highway, which slowed us down a bit. Truchas is on a ridge overlooking the Sangre de Cristo (blood of Christ - there's a theme) Mountains. It hosts many small art galleries, including the Blue Gaucho owned by the owners of the condo in which we're happily ensconced. We rubbed our noses against the windows for a look see, as it was closed, as are many of the galleries. During the off season, they're generally open just a few days a week.

After Truchas no stops. Sailed along through rain and sun and landed back at Burch Street around 3. After this grueling day, nothing would do but to have a couple gin and tonics and watch Don Juan de Marco - starring Johnny Depp - god, what an actor he is. And because we were so muddled and couldn't do much of anything else, watched Capote. Did I mention that our condo is stocked full of great DVDs? With the exception of finding another bottle gin, you'd never have to leave it!

A side note: Yesterday watched Ladies in Lavender, a sweet, beautifully filmed movie starting Judy Dench and Maggie Smith.

Will let Royce fill in the blanks, as there are surely blanks in this day's adventures.....we're happily propped up in bed with our laptops, drinking coffee, eating itty-bitty chocolate chip cookies and laughing about what we're writing.

La vida es muy buena (life is very good). Adios!

Royce’s two bits: As usual, Barb has covered the day thoroughly, eloquently and with humor. I’m fortunate to have my name appear on this body of work without doing much work at all.

Besides, it’s more fun to be at Barb’s side as she writes. If you’re amused by her musings, you should hear how much fun we have as she blogs. Her best lines are so irreverent that we howl with laughter before she deletes them for being “over the top.”

To add a simple perspective on our day: With New Mexico’s incredible landscapes as far as the eye can see, sitting in a car on the High Road is like basking in a 360 degree IMAX movie. I’ve visited this state many times – often on a drive-through and at other times for extended stays – but I’ve never see it more beautifully arrayed than in our High Road excursion.

Another good day in the Land of Enchantment…

Tuesday in Taos - October 5, 2010

The goal today was to do little or nothing so I/we don't have to write about it. Mission accomplished.

Reading, yoga, breakfast, watched the last part of the Neverland movie with Johnny Depp - the out takes and director's comments were vastly more entertaining than the movie.

My art class with Leigh Gusterson - http://leighgusterson.com/ - was from 2-5. I found her through a Google search - love her style and was hoping she could teach me a thing or two. Her "studio" is a big warehouse - great space. It was a private lesson, so we had a lot of fun talking. Her "partner" is a 60-year-old who graduated from Berkeley High School. We could have known each other, but his name didn't ring any bells with me.

Royce picked me up at 5 and on we went to Orlando's for the first decent New Mexican food we've had since arriving. Cute place, run by locals and decent prices.

Home and now going to watch another movie before sleep. Tomorrow we'll drive to Santa Fe, visit Trader Joe's, eat lunch at Tia Sophia's and drive the high road home.

That's it from Taos for today. Adios.

Royce's two bits: Barb said it all really. And isn't her painting beautiful?

Hot Tip: If you make it to Taos, don't miss Orlando's chile rellenos -- or their "margaritas with a punch." Makes the rellenos even better.

Can't believe it took us 'til the end of our fourth day here to finally get great Mexican food, but it was worth the wait.

And to think tomorrow is going to be even better; Barb introduced me to Tia Sophia's on our last visit to Santa Fe. No place can match Aunt Sophie! Can't wait.

Hasta la vista.

Monday Piddlin' in Taos - October 4, 2010

Royce here... blog editor-in-chief for the day. Barb will comment (critique?)later and add color to my mundane report of our day.

After three pretty "intensive" days, we were on s - l - o - w time today... a chance to recharge our batteries for more challenging things ahead.

Lazy morning... coffee, late breakfast. Barb kept blogging while I dug deeper into Pillars of the Earth. I'm so blessed to have a neurotic workaholic as my lady; she just can't help herself.

But we did make time for yoga, as we have every day since arriving. One can't help but do the right thing when the teacher is your traveling companion. Barb is incredible in her instructor role. My bones, muscles and tendons feel happy after every workout.

No doubt all parts will be equally p.o.'d at me when I return home and don't have Barb to help me achieve a better bod every morning. I have a long way to go to achieve her youthful flexibility, but I could get there -- and stay there -- by continuing this morning ritual eternally. I'm going to order a yoga DVD; it won't be the same, but I'll do my best.

We didn't step outside the adobe 'til well after noon. This is life as it should be, which is however you want it.

We hit the upper Ranchitas Road toward the Millicent Rogers Museum again because yesterday we were so set on getting to the museum that we didn't want to pull over to take a picture of the flower-bed pickup mentioned in yesterday's blog. Today, however, that photo was our top priority. (Hopefully you'll eventually see it on this blog.)

Mission accomplished, we set out for Arroyo Seco, a funky little art community several miles north of Taos. We visited it when we were here a couple of years ago and enjoyed the trek. Today, however, we discovered that, in some cases, once is enough.

Been there. Done that. Henceforth, we'll leave Arroyo Seco to first-timers yet to come.

Next stop: Orlando's for lunch. But we stopped first at a "Mexican dry goods store" that Barb spotted along the highway. Juan the shopkeeper was so thrilled to see us that he instantly began spouting discounts, crying "Business is slow."

Barb, wise Mexican goods shopper that she is, was excited to hear Juan's rockbottom prices for high-quality rugs for yoga. She walked away with three beauties, making two people (Barb & Juan) very happy.

Me? I was just salivating for lunch at Orlando's, a quirky little joint we visited on our last visit to Taos. Fun atmosphere, great food.

Sailing along again, we spotted the well-hidden Orlando's sign and whipped off the highway, all set for a decadant afternoon delight (cuisine and booze, that is). The time was precisely 3:07 p.m. I know this because the sign read, Lunch - noon to three. And the chain across the archway made clear that Orland is serious about his 3 o'clock cutoff.

But the really important thing was that Barb and Juan were happy. (I believe it's this kind of perception that makes some folks call me a wise man.)

Back on the road to Taos! A missed opportunity at Orlando's meant another opportunity to visit the highly recommended Antonio's Mexican food restaurant. We had alread enjoyed Antonio's top-notch sangria and tableside guacamole on an afternoon break on Saturday, so we were full of anticipation for a dynamite dining experience.

But, alas, Chef Antonio didn't cut the mustard when it came to the challenge of serving a five-star, full-fledged meal. We decided the chili con queso was something other than chili con queso (we don't know what). And our dinners were equally disappointing.

"Highly recommended" just goes to show that there can be a difference of opinion on what constitutes great Mexican food. We're grateful for good sangria or the whole experience would have been a downer.

But everything's a learning experience, as they say, and we learned that Antonio's is not "our place" in Taos. We're heading back to Orlando's tomorrow for an early dinner. (I'm the official clock-watcher; we're not missing out this time.)

So Goodbye, Antonio's and Hello, Smith's supermarket, where we replenished supplies for good home cookin'. Great supermarket for a tiny town, thanks, no doubt, to the year-round fluctuating tourist population.

Before heading "home," Barb did a dry run south of town to scout the location for her art class tomorrow afternoon. She's excited and all atwitter; there's nothing she loves more that going into her creative mode and ending up with multi-colored skin.

Once home, we took a nice stroll through the streets of Taos -- a very charming, very eclectic little city. Enticing, to say the least.

The walk turned into an unexpected adventure when we saw a small townhome community that intrigued us. Just by stepping into the area for a closer peek, we ended up in the home of strangers (Floridians) eager to show us their Taos getaway.

Earlier in the day, we managed a similar feat when we accosted the cleaning lady for the condo next to ours. The place is for sale, so she gave us the cook's tour. Really nice... and priced right. Hm-mm-m.

Barb thinks we must look terribly benign for strangers to open their doors so readily to us. I prefer to think it's because we're charming. (Please avoid posting comments to the blog on this particular issue.)

And that pretty much sums up another day in Taos for Royce & Barb's Excellent Adventure -- sans the unending quips and laughter that seem to follow us wherever we go.

Not quite as exciting as an African safari or a foray into the Alaskan wilderness, but for us, it describes a very satisfying day... the kind of prize we're always happy to claim.

Can't wait for manana.

Sunday Strolling in Taos - October 3, 2010

Gawd, I love this place! Great sleeping and woke up to read (yes, still Hedgehog), did a 45-minute stretching session with Royce - non contact. Scrambled eggs and itty-bitty Ditty's (Royce's sister) toasted banana nut bread set us up for a late start to the day. But we're on Taos time now.

Decided to take the back road - upper Ranchitas Road - to the Millicent Rogers Museum. She was a Standard Oil heiress. Interesting lady who spent her last years in Taos collecting Indian art. The museum is lovely - lots of beautiful Indian jewelry, sculpture and pictures of her in the 50s.

http://www.millicentrogers.org/ andhttp://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/03/16/fabulous-dead-people-millicent-rogers/

The previous links are good websites about her - worth reading, although I bet Kay Ray is the only person who will. :)

Royce's two bits: En route to the museum, we came across an abandoned pickup in a field with its entire bed transformed into a flower garden. Pretty amazing... but not for Taos. It was beautiful. This is a quirky, fun place where you can always expect the unexpected!

Back to Barb...

From there we drove back to park near the Plaza and found our favorite Taos gaggle of girls again at the Plaza. Had fun talking with them, met Janie's beautiful daughter - a screen writer and tarot card reader - is there anything these ladies don't do? Patricia, the curandera, when I told her about my back and the fact that I was about to get a masssage, grabbed (well, I exaggerate) my hip bones and asked one of the other gals which was higher. It was the left, of course, because that's the side that was injured. Long story short, Patricia offered up a cure if my massage didn't do it for me.

My Brant massage was fabulous! The chronic ache was gone and I was dancing. So much so that I walked out without my glasses. Royce ran back for them once I took off my dark glasses and realized the replacements were still close to a massage table on a chair.

Antonio's and Orlando's - our choices for dinner - were both closed, so we ended up on the south side of town at Tequila's for a so-so dinner. The sangria was good, Royce's chicken mole enchiladas were good. My cheese enchiladas set my cholesterol count back about six months. Sheesh.

Home to watch part of "Finding Neverland." Either the movie wasn't that great or the massage put me under, but I cried wolf halfway through and went to bed. Read the real estate section of the Taos News and crashed. Hasta manana.

Royce's two bits: Nothing to add for this day. I remember nothing. Guess it was the sangria.

On the Prowl in Taos - Saturday, October 2, 2010

Woke up, read (reading The Elegance of the Hedgehog - looking up words as I go - love it!) and conducted a short yoga stretching class. Had Royce's signature breakfast - a bull's eye - and started our day full 'o eggs and coffee.

Our first adventure of the day was to be visiting the Taos Wool Festival at nearby Kit Carson Park. It's only a 10 minute brisk walk from our adobe abode, but we were waylayed at a new shop called the Batik (on Kit Carson Rd.), owned by Gary Fey, a gregarious artist who seems to love what he does. His batiks are wonderful. I'm particularly fond of his Frida Kahlo. For $40 one can go in and create his/her own batik. I can't convince Royce to do this, but I'll be coming home with an original something-or-other.

Tearing ourselves away from the Batik, we turned the corner onto Paseo Del Pueblo Norte (a long term for highway 64) and walked the couple blocks to the park and its wooly wares. It was a pretty hot day (low 80s), thinking about even touching a woolen piece gave me prickly heat. But there were some wonderful wares there - a heart stopper for weavers, knitters and lovers of sheep, alpacas and the cutest angora bunnies you've ever seen in your life. I looked for a friend I know at Westwood at booth #15 but she wasn't there. Our landlady, Lise Poulson, was at her booth #64. We introduced ourselves to her mother and Barbara Ann, a fellow wool aficionado.

Royce's two bits: If any guy reads this blog, take my advice: If your spouse/significant other/lady friend wants to take you to a wool fair, step off the curb and twist your ankle. It'll be worth it.

Back to Barb...

On our way back to the Plaza, my eyes were drawn to a place called the Skin Sanctuary of Taos. Not only do they do rejuvenating skin infusions, they have a masseuse with whom I scheduled a 90-minute massage the next day. My back is injured from my power plate classes, and I'm in dire need of relief. Brant St. Clair is to be my healer. The space is serene and I was very much looking forward to indulging myself.

Onward and upward - passed the small Taos Convention Center (120 Civic Plaza Drive), which is exhibiting local artists. Great work in a low key venue - too much fluorescent light for me but good space nonetheless.

From there a short jaunt to Antonio's and a mid-afternoon cerveza and guacamole. We sat outside and enjoyed a cool breeze in the shade. Our plans were to go back the next evening (Sunday) for dinner. From Antonio's, down the street, we walked into an hole-in-the-wall antique store, Red Cat Antiques. There are many surprises lurking in the cramped quarter, including walking out a door into what is too small to qualify as an ally. But the owners have decorated it with outdoor decor that makes you want to buy most of it. Good marketing. In the back, they've decorated a tree with Mardi Gras beads. Unfortunately, neither of our pictures did it justice.

Then to the plaza, where much to our surprise, there were tents with folks selling everything from jewelry to furniture to fun and fanciful articles. The latter is the first booth we saw and the booth we camped out at - it was the gaggle of ladies, their energy, wit and wisdom that kept us talking and laughing and me buying one of their group projects - a picture of Guadalupe, surrounded by glue-gunned rick rack, lace and fake flowers. You just can't go wrong with that combo.

The group: Patricia Padilla is a curandera (healer - curanderapadilla.wordpress.com), who is also a writer, artist and mother of Aponi Kai (aka Ana Emilia - a fantastic singer - anaemilia.com). We also met Janie Cutliff, a California girl by way of Dallas and now full-time Taos resident. Last, but not least, is the cowboy-hat-wearing Marlena Freelove who created my picture and a fabulous refrigerator magnet of Guadalupe which says on the back, "Love your Mama"......ladies, if you read this and I didn't get the information correct, just post something and set the record straight.

Royce's two bits: Barb's right: A lovely bunch of ladies. If there were no Barb in my life, I'd be looking for one of these gals!

Back to Barb...

We walked away happy to have met such an energetic and inspiring group of ladies. I told Royce that if I were to ever move to Taos, I wouldn't do it unless they promised to be my friends. I think that says enough.

Home to sip wine and watch "Sylvia" - a film about Sylvia Plath - a weirdly happy ending to great day!